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The room chosen for the meeting was known as the Serapis Room. It was in the same administrative Manor as the throne room, but had gotten a lot more use for diplomatic and business meetings. It was called the Serapis room because all the ornate wooden furniture was carved from the hull of the VMS Serapis, a formidable warship of the once globe-spanning Royal Vytalian Navy. Several cabinets filled with priceless china and golden and silver vessels lined the west side of the room, while large green curtains parted to reveal the balcony outside.
Not that Blake could appreciate the fine surroundings much-Not with how hard her mother was hugging her.
"Oh Blake, Blake, Blake!" Kali sobbed, "I'm so glad you're okay! I'm so happy~!"
"I-I'm really happy to see you too, Mom, really!" Blake insisted, hugging her mother back. Ghira had hugged her as well, but he was now giving the two space with a warm, fond smile.
"Oh I was so worried, I was so scared...!" Kali kissed the top of her daughter's head and nuzzled her between her ears, "Oh Blake...!"
"Easy Kali, you're going to smother her," Ghira chuckled. Kali pouted at her husband, still clutching tightly to Blake.
"It's been over two years, I think I'm entitled to shower my daughter with affection," she huffed. She beamed, and sniffled as tears came to her eyes yet again. "Especially when she's getting married and becoming a queen! OH BLAAAAKE!"
"URK! M-Mom...!" Blake gasped, as Kali again cuddled her relentlessly. "Dad, please...!"
Ghira sighed and shrugged.
"She's right, you know," he said with a little smile, "You owe us a lot of affection."
Blake looked down, the guilt rising hard and fast. Ghira, seeing this, shook his head.
"What's done is done, Blake," he said gently, "You can't let your guilt haunt you. You do have to deal with it but don't let it consume you."
"Y-yes Dad," Blake managed.
"So!" Kali said with a big grin, "How is our son-in-law?"
"He-He's wonderful, really," Blake insisted. She winced. "Despite um... The circumstances, and-and all..."
"Have you two...?" Kali prompted, waggling her eyebrows. Blake blushed deeply.
"M-MOM!"
"What? You two are engaged! And don't tell me all that erotica you've been reading has gone to waste!"
"Don't pester the girl, Kali," Ghira gently admonished. Kali pouted.
"I'm just saying! He's so handsome and tall and blond! Can you imagine the kittens they'll make?"
"MOMMM!" Blake groaned. "It... It's a little sudden!"
"It's also kind of vital to your political future, dear," Kali said kindly, "I mean, given how precarious the situation is and all."
Blake blinked quickly.
"Huh? What do you mean-?"
Jaune entered the room then, Doctor Oobleck at his side. He smiled apologetically.
"Sorry about that, Sir, Ma'am," he said with slight inclination of his head, "I'm ready to begin when you are."
"Of course, of course," Ghira said with a nod and smile. Kali reluctantly let go of Blake. Jaune smoothly walked up to her, and took her hand. She accepted it gratefully, and they sat together on a green lined couch. A matching couch sat across from them, where Kali and Ghira took their seats. Oobleck stood behind and to the right of Jaune, a supporting presence if ever there was one as he sipped his coffee.
"So," Jaune stated, activating a holoscreen, "This is the documentation of the old Laws of Alliance for the Valean Constitution. Under Section 4, paragraph 9, we initiated an Alliance of Mutual Defense. A temporary alliance between us based on some... Pretty outdated language."
"Which did require an engagement between myself and Jaune," Blake supplied quietly. Jaune nodded.
"Yeah... So... The treaty is made in an emergency, and lasts about thirty days under the current framework. Basically you give us military aid and we grant your troops as much local support as possible."
"And the engagement essentially gives you a hostage in the form of our daughter so we behave," Ghira stated bluntly. Jaune winced.
"I-I mean... In not so many words but-"
"It's okay, Jaune," Blake said quietly. She squeezed his hand. "That's how these old laws worked. It let us save Vale... I don't regret it."
"But," Ghira pointed out, "Backing out of a marriage alliance would be a bit of a disaster politically speaking... Not that this whole thing hasn't been a clusterfuck to begin with."
"Ghira," Kali gently admonished. Ghira snorted.
"What? Am I wrong?"
"Nope," Jaune sighed, even as Blake winced and Professor Oobleck smirked slighty behind his coffee cup. "I-I just... I'm not going to hurt Blake if things go wrong. Not now, not ever."
Blake squeezed his hand again. Jaune slowly nodded. Ghira smiled.
"Good. Now, we were aware of the old treaties. This current treaty needs to be replaced with something more modern and workable. I've worked with my advisors and diplomats on such a treaty." He inserted a datachip into the holoprojector. "Here is our proposal."
Blake could sense Jaune's tension. She really couldn't blame him. She knew her father was a good man, really, truly. She also knew politics was a cuthroat game, and Menagerie had Vale over a barrel. Menagerie's forces were the only thing keeping Vale from collapsing under the chaos of the Grimm right now. Sure, the Valean Rangers, Militias, Hunters, and even regular police were doing a lot better, but until some kind of defense force could be established, it was all on Menagerie.
She read the treaty proposal with Jaune in silence, occassionally reaching out to flip the page. Jaune frowned deeply, as Oobleck leaned over to read with him.
"Something wrong, Your Majesty?" Ghira asked.
"I uh..." Jaune looked over at Oobleck. The professor too was frowning in confusion. Blake read a bit more, and blinked rapidly.
"It's... Generous," Oobleck stated quietly. "Very generous. Extremely generous."
"Is it?" Kali asked with a small smile.
"Yeah," Jaune said with a nod, "I mean... Lowered tariffs on Menagerie goods is fine, but... You'll barely be making any money with these rates! An embassy? Assistance in creating your own Hunter Academy? And a standard mutual defense pact when we don't even have a military yet?"
Ghira smiled softly, and nodded.
"Indeed."
"I-I mean, it's barely thirty pages!" Jaune blurted out. "I thought this stuff was hundreds of pages long!"
"Usually, yes," Ghira said, "And there is a provision in the treaty to renegotiate it in two years' time."
At Jaune's continued disbelief Ghira sighed.
"Allow me to be open and honest with you, Your Majesty... Jaune. If I were in your position, I would be suspicious of any diplomatic overture I made. I can't blame you. Menagerie has been getting by finding loopholes and aggressively exploiting them. That, and Kali and I did found the White Fang. I imagine your advisors have been wondering if this is all a long con with the use of my own daughter to facilitate a better position for Menagerie."
Jaune managed to maintain his poker face at that. Blake blanched.
"N-No, I would never-!"
"I know," Jaune stated firmly. "So... Since we're being open and honest, what is your gameplan?"
Ghira let out a long, slow breath.
"It is because of those things and the White Fang we are doing things in this way," he stated firmly. "If we had not agreed to an alliance right then and there, then the last thing the rest of Remnant would have seen on the CCTnet was the White Fang brutally massacring innocent civilians and using Grimm to destroy a major city. The hatred and mistrust towards Faunus worldwide would skyrocket, which would increase Grimm attacks across the planet. I believe that was the intention of Cinder, and whoever is pulling her strings."
Jaune slowly nodded.
"I see," he said quietly.
"We still have a lot to make up for," Ghira went on, "My troops are on their best behavior but fights are still breaking out between them and Valeans. There are anti-Faunus attacks going on as well. The only way to thwart the plans of this puppetmaster, to save more lives, Faunus and human, was to ally with you. To offer you my daughter. And to ensure that the terms of our alliance were as beneficial to you as possible."
Ghira locked eyes with Jaune.
"I do want Menagerie to be recognized as the Fifth Kingdom. That goal has not changed. But I want to do it without destroying another Kingdom in the process. After all, in the end, the Grimm do not care if we are human or Faunus. They will consume us all."
Ghira sat back.
"That is the reason for this simple treaty," he said, "You can believe me or not, Your Majesty. That is your call. But I told you this because I believe you would see that there is very little reason for me to lie."
Jaune slowly nodded.
"True..."
He turned to Oobleck. He slowly nodded. Jaune turned back to Ghira and Kali.
"I'm going to have to talk to my advisors on this, and the final version will have to be ratified by the newly elected Council," Jaune stated, "We're organizing emergency elections right now but it's going to take some time."
Ghira was motionless, staring back at him. Jaune squeezed Blake's hand.
"However... I think I can authorize an extension of this emergency alliance," Jaune said carefully, "Especially since I will be marrying your daughter soon. That keeps it in play for a while longer as is."
Ghira looked over at Blake.
"Are you all right with this, Blake?" He asked, not as a politician, but as a father.
Blake swallowed, and nodded.
"I... I think I can do a lot more good for Faunus and Human relations... And-And the world... As a queen than as part of the White Fang," she said quietly, "And Jaune is a good man. We... We'll make it work."
Jaune managed to hide a blush at that.
"I'll see to the arrangements, Your Majesty," Oobleck stated, "I believe Glynda is on your wedding preparations, along with Port."
Jaune blinked in surprise.
"Professor Port does wedding planning?"
"I believe he will be handling the military side of things, a proper royal wedding requires battleship guns in the old Valean customs," Oobleck stated. He nodded respectfully to them all, "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesty?"
"Of course," Jaune said with a nod. Oobleck walked out, closing the door behind him. Kali sighed in relief.
"Well... If the work part of things is done for now," she looked intently at Jaune, "Jaune. I have heard you have seven sisters."
Jaune coughed.
"Ah, y-yeah. They're being brought here with my parents so I can update them on everything-"
"Is this common in your family?" She pressed.
Jaune stared at her. Blake winced.
"Mother..."
"Lots of kids? Yeah, usually," Jaune said, "I've lost track of how many cousins I have."
"Lots of twins and triplets?"
"Loads," Jaune agreed.
Kali beamed and clapped her hands together.
"Wonderful! I can't wait for the grandkittens! Oh they're going to be so cute! So blond!"
Jaune looked over at Blake for some kind of help. She sighed and shook her head, as she had none to offer.
"We'll work on it, Mom," Blake said, "Really."
"I mean, the best part of your royal duty includes needing to get laid and have kids!"
"MOM!" Blake groaned in exasperation, as Jaune blushed.
"Er, um... I-I mean, we'll... Definitely get to it..."
"It's just a... A little complicated, Mom," Blake said as she flattened her ears.
Kali stared at them, and sniffed.
"What? Other women in love with Jaune?"
Blake and Jaune blanched.
"MOM!"
"Ah, so there are!" Kali nodded, "I thought as much! Well, what have you been reading all those harem erotica novesl for if not for this moment?"
"MOMMMM!"
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